What if the government cut funding for jazz?

If the government cut funding for jazz, what would it do for jazz gigs in London?

Certainly next to nothing for the venues such as Vortex, 606, Ronnies, Pizza Express. As we are all unfunded! Of course it might limit the chances for the Vortex to upgrade its facilities. But we all work on the system that it's a permanent recession for jazz (Thanks for Billy Jenkins for pointing that out to me very soon after starting Babel.) Similarly for the record labels, who are more limited by the music industry situation than the official funding.

By contrast, it could easily affect bigger gigs at the major venues, and the core of the London Jazz Festival.

But the proof of the pudding will be in the eating after the election.

Someone should be asking the parties for their jazz policy. They did this in Germany and got a commitment from all of them that jazz support would not be reduced. When I've asked journalists, mags and blogs to ask them, they laugh at the thought of even posing the question because they don't expect an answer.